Sanremo Festival records strong 2026 song sales as artist Mannarino declines 2027 participation

Four months after the Sanremo 2026 Festival, ten competing songs have earned at least gold or platinum certification from FIMI, representing a guaranteed minimum of 1.5 million copies sold. The leading track, "Ossessione" by Samurai Jay, achieved double‑platinum status with over 400,000 units. Compared with the 2025 edition, which accumulated 21 certified songs and a minimum of 3.9 million copies over a sixteen‑month period, the 2026 results suggest a solid early performance despite the shorter timeframe.

In parallel, singer‑songwriter Alessandro Mannarino confirmed he will not compete in Sanremo 2027, stating, "I don't like contests. Sanremo is the Festival of Italian Song, but the song has little value compared to the personality." He added that the festival's voting system and media hype turn it into a commercial campaign rather than a song competition, and cited a scheduling clash with Rio de Janeiro's Carnival as another reason for his decision.

These developments highlight both the commercial success of recent festival entries and ongoing artist resistance to participating in Italy's flagship music competition.